The present invention relates to game scoring systems and, more particularly to a dart game scoring system.
A variety of dart games are based on successive attempts by one or more players to propel darts for striking particular regions of a target, the regions having associated scoring values for defining progress of the game. Many such games have elaborate scoring rules, ostensibly for imparting interest and elements of strategy. However, elaborate scoring can be prohibitively difficult to keep track of.
In the game of "Cricket", for example, the object is to be the first player to hit a bull's-eye and six other numbered regions of the target three times each. In a variation of this game, it is also possible to accumulate bonus points for extra hits within the designated regions. In another game, each player begins with a predetermined number of points, such as 301, 501, etc., the object being to go "out" by scoring the same exact number of point values. Typically the target has pie-shaped regions that are numbered from 1 to 20, the regions having smaller subregions that count double or triple the designated value. Thus for each hit it is required to subtract from one's current score a value which is the product of from 1 to 3 and from 1 to 20. With such scoring complexity, some means for recording the progress of the game is a practical necessity.
One scheme is simply to keep score on paper. This is cumbersome, however, and there is often a lack of a suitable writing surface. Also, it may be difficult for each player to see what has been recorded. Another approach is to provide an electronic or computer-based display system. Although there is no limit to the capability and complexity of a computer scoring system, all such systems are expensive to produce and require some form of electrical power.
Thus there is a need for a dart game scoring system that is effective for recording and displaying the progress of a variety of dart games, that is inexpensive to produce, and is easy to use.